Pressure accumulator



July 21, 1959 L. D. ORSER 2,895,507

` RRESSURE: ACCUMULATOR Filed Aug. 24, 1955 ZE- ZZUF LHNPQNLE Unser' .s.f l:2,895,507 i rod 29 maintains the ball member 27 in alignment withthe valve seat 26a and permits only a substantially linear path ofmovement.

An adjustable pressure relief valve 32 is carried by the plates 18, and19 and communicates with the inside ofthe` tank toy prevent the pressuretherein from rising above apredetermined amount.

In operation, the pressure tank 10 is given a charge of compressed airto a predetermined amount, say 50. pounds, and then tluid to be sprayedis pumped into` the tank through the conduit 24 against the air pressurealready therein. During the charging of the tank with compressed air,the oat valve assembly will take the position as seen in Figure 1 inclosing the inlet-outlet 16. While iluid is shown in the very bottom ofthe tank -10 in Figure l, it will be understood that initially'no liquidwill be present.

'When the `spray liquid is pumped into the pressure tank 10, the levelof the liquid will rise above the float member 28 of the oat valveassembly 15 to maintain the inlet-outlet 16 open as seen in Figure 2.The liquid obviously compresses the air to a considerably greaterpressure, say 150 pounds, and the air will not mix with the liquid, butwill remain in the upper portion of the tank as illustrated. v

As indicated by the diagonal lines in the tank 10 above the liquid levelin Figures l and 2, the greater number of lines in Figure 2 illustrate agreater pressure in the tank when charged with liquid. A

During the spraying operation, when the liquid will be dischargedthrough the conduit 25, the pressure of course, will gradually decrease,and as the level of the liquid falls below the top of the float member28, the oat valve assembly 15 will descend until the ball member 27seats on the valve seat 26a. Thus, an extremely small amount of liquidmay remain in the bottom of the tank, but there will also be a minimumof 50 pounds pressure remaining in the tank so -that the last portion ofthe liquid discharged from the tank is effectively sprayed.

In view of the foregoing, it is seen that the float valve arrangementmaintains a minimum pressure in the tank 10 while allowing substantiallyall of the spraying liquid to be discharged therefrom without furtherpumping operations. Also, it is seen that at all times a properrelationship between the spraying liquid and the compressed air ismaintained, and the initial air in the accumulator does not mix `withthe liquid so as to gradually escape from the tank. Once charged withcompressed air to 'outside said tank extending axially from said tankinletoutlet leading to a liquid source and a liquid outlet, a valve seatprovided on said inlet-outlet, and a valve assembly having a sphericalmember defining a valve face for coacting with the valve seat, a floatmember connected to said spherical member and being within the conlinesof said tank, a guide rod extending downwardly from said sphericalmember in the conlines of said conduit for guiding said member along alinear path, a guide plate in said conduit slidably receiving said guiderod, and an adjustable stop on said rod coacting Wtih said plate torestrict the linear movement of said spherical mem-` ber, said valveassembly permitting the entering and exit- Y ing of liquid andpreventing the exiting of compressed tank having an inlet for admittingcompressed air thereto, a liquid inlet-outlet in the tank bottom, avalve seat provided on said inlet-outlet, and a valve assembly having avalve member dening a valve face coacting with the valve seat, afloat'member connected to said valve member and being within the connesof said tank, a guide rod extending downwardly from said valve memberand outwardly of said tank, and means outside said tank slidablyreceiving said guide rod in axial alignment with said inlet-outlet forguiding said valve member along a linear path.

K 3. A pressure accumulator including a single chamber pressure tank forholding compressed air and liquid, saidA tank having an inlet foradmitting compressed air thereto, a liquid inlet-outlet in the tankbottom, a Valve seat provided on said inlet-outlet, and a valve assemblyhaving a valve member defining a valve face coacting with the valveseat, a oat member connected to said valve member and being within thecontines of said tank, a guide rod extending downwardly from said valvemember and outwardly of said tank, means outside said tank slidablyreceiving said guide rod and maintaining said the desired extent, thetank may be used repeatedly withguide rod in axial alignment with saidinlet-outlet for guid-v ing said valve member along a linear path, andan adjustable stop on said rod, said stop being disposed beneath saidmeans slidably receiving said rod and coacting therewith to restrict thelinear movement of said valve member, said valve assembly permitting theentering and exiting of liquid and preventing the exiting of compressedair.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 561,992Hooker June 16, 1896 962,355 Johnson June 2l, 1910 1,273,021 Zahm July16, 1918 2,223,509 Brauer Dec. 3, 1940` 2,290,337 Knauth July 21, 19422,385,016 Mercier -.l Sept. 18, 1945 2,416,025 Shal Feb. 18, 19472,518,259 Stevenson Aug. 8, 1950 2,616,453 Green Nov. 4, 1952

